Firefighters battle massive 3-alarm pallet fire in southwest Phoenix

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) - Flames lit up the sky over southwest Phoenix Thursday night as firefighters battled a massive blaze that broke out at a wood pallet facility near 35th Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road. Investigators remain on scene Friday morning working to determine how the fire started.

According to Captain Todd Keller with the Phoenix Fire Department, crews were called to the area just before 8 p.m. after receiving a call about a fire coming from the business. When firefighters arrived, heavy smoke and flames were already engulfing multiple stacks of wood pallets. The fire was quickly upgraded to a third-alarm response, calling for additional help from neighboring cities. The owner of Javier Pallets confirmed with Arizona’s Family that his business is involved in the fire.

All nearby businesses, including a Circle K store, were evacuated as a precaution, Capt. Keller said. Capt. Keller said firefighters had to manage downed power lines and multiple explosions while preventing the fire from spreading to another business.

“This is a highly industrial area, commercial area, so you’re going to have scrap yards, you’re going have pallet yards, so there are fires there. Recently, I know we did have one a couple of weeks ago,” said Capt. Keller. “You have this much combustible material, and this is exactly what happens when something catches fire. You put wind as a factor, it’s going to make a big difference.”

Over 100 firefighters from four cities worked to get the fire under control. Crews remained on scene throughout the night to extinguish hot spots. No one was hurt.